Former deputies Mamdouh Abbadi and Odeh Qawas crossed swords with Tareq Khouri, who heads the Wihdat Sports Club, and former Amman deputy mayor Abdul Rahim Beqai, in a two-hour debate that tackled issues of public concern.

Career journalist Rana Sabbagh, who moderated the event, managed to restrain a visibly charged audience following an emotional outburst by Qawas after he was provoked by a member of the audience.

Candidates were given the opportunity to outline their election agenda before the floor was given for the audience to interact with the would-be deputies.

Veteran lawmaker and former Amman mayor Abbadi took centre stage at the debate by singling out the Upper House as a “government cushion” against reform.

Responding to a question by the public on the benefit of taking part in elections that will give birth to an “impotent parliament”, Abbadi said there is no alternative to taking part in the polls.

“What do we do, boycott the polls because Parliament is a failure?” asked Abbadi, who promised to push for constitutional amendments that will see the Parliament form governments if he is elected.

“The failure of the Parliament is attributed to the failure of voters in selecting the right people,” said Abbadi.

Qawas echoed Abbadi’s concerns about the obstacles reformists face in Parliament, describing the Upper House as “the fridge for reform legislation”.

He cited the draft law on income tax, which was approved by the Lower House after it introduced several amendments, but remains shelved at the Senate.

Qawas called for an amendment to the Constitution to impose a deadline for the Senate to return legislations referred by the Lower House.

According to the Constitution, when the Lower House endorses a law, it is referred to the Senate for deliberation before being signed into a law.

But lawmakers continue to complain that the Senate often procrastinates in their response and sometimes shelves important legislation, seen by many as a necessary tool to impose badly needed political and economic reform.

Khouri, who is running neck-to-neck with Qawas for the Christian seat in Amman, said he will be “academic” in his approach as he tries to utilise the “spirit of youth” in his work as a deputy.

“The Third District addresses the mind rather than other considerations,” said Khouri, referring to the prevailing influence of tribal relations in the outcome of the polls in many parts of the Kingdom.

Beqai said he chose to focus on economic issues, including the social safety network and the need to achieve equality in the business sector, as means to improve the living conditions of Jordanians.

“We must encourage Jordanians to work in the private sector and put an end to the culture of shame,” said Beqai, who outlined energy and water, as well as unemployment, as the most vexing problems facing the nation.

Abbadi said that the high public debt, unemployment and energy are the most important issues for the foreseeable future, while Khouri highlighted local and foreign investment and subsidy policies as focal points.

However, according to Qawas, the Kingdom’s main challenge is “how to achieve sustainable development”.